


ten and a half stories

by playmaker



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Enemies to Friends, Some Humor, aaron and neil come to a mutual understanding, idk what to tell yall, lots of swears
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-07
Updated: 2018-04-07
Packaged: 2019-04-19 13:49:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14238636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/playmaker/pseuds/playmaker
Summary: Neil and Aaron are forced to learn that they might have a few things in common after all.[or: neil and aaron get stuck in an elevator together and have nothing to do for six hours but talk to each other]





	ten and a half stories

**Author's Note:**

> listen. listen. i know ive been gone for ages (my life got chewed up and spit out but its kind of(?) getting better) and i KNOW this is a mess but hear me out: aaron and neil being tentative friends  
> this is mostly dialogue and definitely out of character and was not proofread AT ALL so just ignore the typos im tired

**Hour 0, 1:36am**

 

“I can’t believe you got us stuck in a _fucking_ elevator.”

Neil huffed, leaning back against the metal wall and stuffing his hands into his hoodie pocket.

“How the hell is this _my_ fault?” he asked, narrowing his eyes at Aaron, who pointedly kept looking straight ahead. “What, I can control elevators now?”

Aaron frowned and shot Neil a dirty look.

“Out of all the shit you’ve been involved with, I wouldn’t be surprised if you were cursed by a witch at birth or some fucking thing.”

“Oh come on. The _last_ thing I’d do if I had freaky witch magic would be to lock myself in a metal deathbox in my own apartment building with you of all people,” Neil sneered.

Aaron rolled his eyes, pulling his phone out and quickly tapping out his passcode. A moment of aggressive typing passed before Aaron cursed, stuffing his phone back in his pocket. Neil raised an eyebrow. When Aaron paid him no mind, Neil spoke up.

“What?”

Aaron looked at him.

“It continually amazes me how angry you can make a single word sound.” Neil smiled at him, tilting his head and putting as much passive aggression into his expression as possible. Aaron inhaled slowly, obviously irritated. “There’s no cell service,” he finally said, plopping himself onto the elevator floor with a resigned sigh.

Neil shrugged, turning away from Aaron to stare at the button pad.

“Guess we’re stuck until someone gets us, then.”

Neil slid his back down the wall, effectively lowering himself to the ground and crossed his legs neatly.

 

**Hour 1, 2:23am**

 

Neil and Aaron were both still sitting on the elevator floor, the former thumping the back of his head rhythmically against the wall. Every few minutes, Aaron would pull his phone out, stare at his, then put it away with an irritated sigh.

The two of them didn’t speak again for nearly an hour, more willing to sit in silence than bicker with one another.

The next time Aaron took out his phone, Neil cast a sideways glance at him.

“You know, no matter how many times you check it, you won’t have service. All you’re doing is killing your battery.”

“Like I don’t know that. I might be able to get at least one text through, though,” Aaron shot back, permanent frown still on his face.

“What good would it do? Not like it’ll get us help faster. We’ll be here until the morning crew shows up for work, anyway.”

Aaron shrugged, exhaustion settling slightly into his posture.

“I want to try and get a message through to Katelyn so she knows I won’t be home until morning.”

Neil leaned his head back against the wall and yawned, eyes squeezing shut. “She’s…” Neil paused, looking for the word, while Aaron raised his eyebrows in wait. “Steadfast? Understanding? I wouldn’t worry about her; she knows you aren’t stupid.”

Aaron gaped at Neil, who was still sitting with his head against the wall, eyes closed. When Aaron was silent for too long, Neil turned his head to Aaron and squinted tiredly.

“What?” he asked, suspicious.

Aaron opened his mouth, then closed it, then opened it again.

“Nothing. I just— didn’t expect you to say something nice. Especially with all Andrew has to say about her.” He said the last part with a frown, equally confused and irritated at the thought.

Neil furrowed his brows. “Andrew and I aren’t a hivemind, you know. Plus, I’m not _blind_. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out she’s got an iron will, especially to put up with you.”

Aaron huffed. “Wow, thanks.”

Neil grinned, more tired than humoured. “Any time. Now shut up, I’m going to sleep.”

“Whatever.”

 

**Hour 2, 3:01am**

 

Neil awoke to the sound of bubbly music, like something out of an old video game. He groaned, sitting up from where he has slumped on the floor. When he rubbed his eyes and looked around, he was still in the elevator, and Aaron was still on the floor, though now he was basically sprawled out, only his shoulders and head leaning against the wall. The music was coming from Aaron’s phone where he held it, his gaze trained intently on the screen while he tapped away.

“Your battery really will die, you know,” Neil said, his voice scratchy with sleep. Aaron glanced at him for a split second before turning his attention back to the screen.

“Don’t care. There’s nothing else to do.”

Neil hummed. A beat of silence passed, the only sound coming from Aaron’s phone and the crack in Neil’s neck as he rolled the stiffness of sleep out of it.

“How long was I out?” he asked, pulling off his hoodie until he was only in his grey long sleeve.

“One second, I’m timed,” Aaron replied, not looking away from his screen.

A few seconds went by before Aaron exited whatever app he was playing and sat up fully, silencing the music.

“Less than an hour,” he said, turning the lockscreen to Neil so he could see the time. “It’s only three in the morning.”

Neil groaned. “It seriously hasn’t even been two hours? Jesus, I’ve been through a lot, but this is the most boring and excruciatingly long stretch of time I’ve ever experienced. We still have what, four, five hours until someone comes?”

Aaron shrugged. “Don’t look to me for sympathy, we’re in the same boat. Count the scuffs on the walls for all I care.”

“You’re literally so kind and caring,” Neil drawled. “I don’t understand why people don’t like you, I really don’t.”

“Go fuck yourself, Josten.”

 

**Hour 3, 4:19am**

 

“What’s your issue with me, anyway?” Neil asked out of the blue.

He was lying on his back, his feet propped up against the wall. Aaron was on the opposite side of the elevator, tucked into the corner with one leg pulled to his chest and the other stretched out in front of him. He had been flipping his now dead phone (Neil had bitten down on the _I told you so_ ) over in his hands, but stopped when Neil spoke.

“Care to elaborate?” he asked in return, his voice betraying no emotion.

Neil hated when he did that, mostly because it made him sound like Andrew which was _weird_. In general, Aaron’s voice wasn’t as deep as Andrew’s, but Neil was almost positive that was because Andrew conditioned himself to speak in a slightly lower register, probably to sound more intimidating. It was sort of childish and a little lame, if Neil gave it too much thought. It was as if Andrew was making up for what he didn’t have in height in voice and his particular favouritism of black clothing.

Neil rolled his head to the side so he was facing Aaron and raised his eyebrows.

“Do I need to? Like,” Neil shrugged, turning his head and staring at the ceiling. “I don’t know. I get why you hated me _before_ . Honestly, I still think the whole team should’ve. I lied to you guys about everything and put you all at risk. I’d hate me if I was them. I do sort of hate me for it, even now. But it’s like… It just feels like that’s not the _why_ for you, like you don’t like me for completely other reasons, and I can’t figure out what those reasons are. It can’t be because I’m with Andrew. You two sorted that shit out ages ago. Kind of. So why?”

Aaron was quiet for a few long seconds. Neil could hear him shift, stretching out his leg alongside the other one.

“Habit, maybe,” he finally said. “To be honest, I think you’re impulsive, and stupid, and you can’t for the life of you see anything that’s going on around you if you’re focused on something else. You have a one track mind, and it’s irritating. It’s like you don’t even care what happens to you. It pisses me off, mostly because you lived through hell and it’s like you still don’t give a shit.”

Neil glanced at Aaron, who was leaning back against the wall, his phone held loosely in his hands. Their eyes met.

“You have people who care about you now. Andrew, the team, everyone. You can’t just act like a jackass and pretend no one will get hurt if something happens to you. It’s selfish.”

Aaron looked away first and Neil stared, mouth slightly open. He rolled over, sitting up and squinting at the other while leaning forward slightly.

“Wait, seriously?”

Aaron scowled. “Did you expect me to say it’s because of you and Andrew? I’m not a fucking idiot. I know how to let things go, unlike my brother.”

Neil leaned back, surprised.

“Huh. I guess, maybe. I just didn’t think you’d give me a serious answer.”

“What, you tell me you hate yourself and that you don’t deserve the team, and you expect me to bullshit you? Contrary to popular belief, I’m not a _huge_ dick. You were straight, so I was straight.”

Neil snorted.

Aaron let out a breath through his nose, closing his eyes. “Right. Bad phrasing, but you know what I’m getting at.”

“Yeah… Yeah, I think I do.”

 

**Hour 4, 5:44am**

 

“I spy with my little eye…”

“Eat shit, Aaron,” Neil said tiredly, but with feeling.

“Are we seriously supposed to sit here for another two hours and do nothing then?” Aaron asked, scowling. “I’m tired, I’m bored, and I’m fucking hungry.” He paused. “I miss my girlfriend.”

Neil sighed dejectedly. “I miss my cats.”

Aaron laughed, letting his head fall back against the wall. “What the fuck, dude. I miss your cats too.”

“My cats don’t even _like_ you.”

“Fuck off! King likes me,” Aaron said, visibly offended.

“King pissed in your shoes.”

Aaron was silent, accepting defeat.

“I haven’t slept for real in thirty-six hours,” Neil eventually said.

“Join the club. I work in a hospital and this was supposed to be my day off.”

Neil hummed.

“What if I start having sleep deprivation hallucinations?”

“Dude,” Aaron said, squinting at Neil. “Just fucking sleep then.”

“You expect me to get a restful sleep in a metal coffin ten stories above ground where if we fall we will most definitely die?”

Aaron shrugged. “It’d be a hell of a way to go, I guess.”

“I guess,” Neil echoed with a laugh. “How would you want to die?”

“What is this, twenty questions? I didn’t realize we were high schoolers.”

“Come on,” Neil replied with a scowl. “We’re both bored and it’s a way better idea than I Spy.”

“Fine,” Aaron answered, crossing his arms. “Hmm. Maybe drowning? It’s supposed to hurt like hell, but I feel like a heart attack in my sleep is cheating. Or in a car accident. What about you?”

“Morbidly ironic. Nice. And I’d want to get swallowed whole by a giant snake,” Neil answered with no hesitation, completely serious.

“Seriously?” Aaron asked in disbelief.

“Dead serious. Next question: favourite book.”

“A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens,” Aaron said. Neil snorted.

“I didn’t realize you were a teenage girl from the 1900s.”

Aaron kicked off his shoe, expertly flinging it at Neil’s face.

“ _Ow,_ dude, what the fuck?” Neil exclaimed, sitting up and rubbing his nose while glaring at Aaron. Aaron shrugged.

“Don’t slam my book tastes, it’s a classic.”

“More like outdated,” Neil muttered.

Aaron flipped him the bird.

“Fine, but your tastes probably aren’t any better. You act like you were raised Amish or something.”

“Oh, fuck off. Just because I didn’t understand pop culture until Matt forced me into a powerpoint viewing doesn’t make me Amish.”

“Whatever you say, Josten.”

 

**Hour 5, 6:34am**

 

“You actually went to prom?” Neil asked, disbelief colouring his voice.

They were sitting across from each other now, shoes off and jackets used as cushions to sit on. They had spent their question game trading small facts and usually making fun of the other for their answers. Neil had just asked about his most embarrassing phase.

“Yeah, Nicky made me and Andrew go. Like… he wears all black, right? So you’d think _he’d_ be the one with an emo phase. Nope. He’s just always dressed like a mercenary or some shit. But—” Aaron cut himself off, dropping his head and laughing into his hands. “Fuck, fuck, okay so, _never_ ask Nicky for pictures because he’ll absolutely give them to you, but I had the worst emo phase in high school. Like, I dyed my hair black and I wore those shitty raver pants to prom. With a tuxedo tshirt and everything.”

By the time Aaron finished recounting his fashion choices, Neil was doubled over and laughing into his lap.

“Come on, stop _laughing_!” Aaron exclaimed, although he had started laughing again too.

After a round of ragged breaths, Neil straightened up, wiping his face and slapping his cheeks once.

“Okay. Okay, I’m good. What colour were the pants?”

Aaron immediately cringed. “No.”

“They’re _already_ raver pants, it seriously can’t get worse.”

Aaron squirmed for a moment before final mumbling a response. “Lime green.”

Neil lost it. He laughed loudly, clutching his stomach. His head pounded from how tired he was and the pressure of his laughter, but he didn’t care.

“Holy shit, _dude_ ,” he finally wheezed.

“I know. I know, now stop laughing, we get it, I was an emo loser.”

“God, that’s one thing I can thank my mom for. I just always looked homeless, but at least I didn’t go through shitty phases.”

“Andrew had a fuckboy phase,” Aaron blurted.

Neil gaped at him. “You’re kidding.”

“Junior year of high school. He had a muscle shirt that said “sun’s out guns out” and everything. Don’t tell him I told you.”

“Please tell me Nicky has pictures of _that_.”

 

**Hour 6, 7:44am**

 

Neil had spent the last half an hour listening to Aaron ramble about Katelyn. Usually, it would be boring and probably irritating, but with the lack of sleep and the newfound truce, Neil found himself actually listening.

Plus, he really did like Katelyn as a person, and it was rare that he was ever around her.

“We went hiking over the summer. She takes, like, _really_ good photos, but she always wants to take them of me too. It’s sweet, I guess, but also sort of really embarrassing, even though we’ve been together for so long,” Aaron was saying, illustrating the story with hand movements.

“I miss hiking,” Neil said without thinking. “I used to go when I was really little, plus after my mom and I ran, we’d sometimes have to take shortcuts. I actually really enjoyed that part.”

Aaron stared at Neil like he was thinking. Neil furrowed his eyebrows.

“What?” he asked, confused.

“Nothing,” Aaron said quickly. “It’s just— you could come with us next time, if you wanted. You can ask Andrew too but he’ll say no.”

Neil huffed, a small smile playing on his lips. “He’ll definitely say no. But… Yeah. Yeah, if you don’t mind me tagging along, that’d be nice.”

Aaron nodded. “For sure. You know, Josten? You aren’t that bad. I still think you’re an idiot, but maybe not a total lost cause. Plus, you make Andrew way less hostile. And you make him happy.”

“I still think you’re an asshole, but maybe you aren’t so bad either.”

**Author's Note:**

> around 8:15, apartment staff got em out. aaron took a cab home bc he was too tired to drive & he picked up his car that afternoon. andrew called the on-call landlord who said neil was in the elevator and wouldnt get out till morning crew came in. andrew waited up for neil and they fell asleep on the couch together when neil got back. neil definitely got those pics from nicky, and he definitely became hiking buddies with aaron and katelyn.  
> I JUST WANT THEM TO GET ALONG. also u know when u get so tired that u have no filter and also everything is funny? yeah thats this  
> (also yes i Did delete otmw and alg BUT thats because i hated leavin yall hanging on an update. im not abandoning them- in fact im working almost constantly on them in my free time- im just waiting until theyre totally finished to post them so i dont have to force myself to update. also, alg went through some SERIOUS plot changes lol. theyll be back soon!)  
> comments/kudos always appreciated!


End file.
